Humans have a soul!
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I think we do have a soul !
There is no way to describe what I experience without a soul that transcends the personality. There is something in us which is more than my habits, limitations and combined past.
According to Christianity and Islam we each have an immortal soul, that may rot in hell if we don't behave. According to Hinduism we have a soul (atma) that will reincarnate till we grow enlightened (or awake) enough to not need to reincarnate any further. Buddhism agrees on the reincarnation, but some Buddhists believe that what reincarnates changes too much to be called a soul (anatma). Psychologists agree we have a personality, but don't know about what happens after we die.
The Spiritual Brain
A Neuroscientist's Case for the Existence of the Soul
This book was written by a neuroscientist with the help of a journalist. This makes the book, for the subject, very readable. But it's still about a very difficult subject, so I'm not surprised that some people just can't follow it. Also - because of the nature of the subject, there are going to be people who disagree.
The Spiritual Brain: A Neuroscientist's Case for the Existence of the Soul
Amazon Price: $4.98 (as of 02/13/2012)
Neuroscientists usually do not agree there is a brain. In this interesting book you will read about the exception to the rule.
Neurology doesn't agree
Apparently we DO NOT have a soul, or so scientists think
Oliver Sacks is the pop star of neurology
He writes well. He's funny and most importantly, he makes it real easy to imagine what it's like to have some weird neurological illness. With the result that neurology becomes easier to understand as well.
The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat: And Other Clinical Tales
Amazon Price: $6.09 (as of 02/13/2012)
I love this book.
Through case studies one really gets a feel of what it's like to live with a brain that's off somehow. And through getting a feel of how the brain functions when something goes wrong, one also gets a sense of how the brain functions normally.
I'd recommend this to anyone interested in neuroscience.
Humans don't have a soul - links
Disagree? Join this religious debate and share why we don't have a soul...
I could not find many publicly available articles online that explain just why people often disagree with my point. So please help.
1
Do Humans Have Souls?
Attack on the most basic Christian religious ideas more...3 points
2
Biology, Consciousness, and the Definition of Death
When does a human life end? This question used to more...1 point
3
The No-Soul doctrine in Buddhism explained
within this human being, consisting of mind and bo more...1 point
4
The Problem With 'Life'
What is the meaning of life? Actually, I would be more...1 point
Vedanta explained - Talks with Sri Nisargadatta
I Am That: Talks with Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj
Amazon Price: $19.67 (as of 02/13/2012)
Video's on Consciousness: Holistic consciousness
NDE's prove my point
Near Death Experiences (NDE) as proof for the soul
When a person gets medically labeled as 'brain-dead' - yet wakes up hours, days or even weeks later (and yes, that happens sometimes) - they often report experiences of all kinds of things. That's called a Near Death Experience. Some of those experiences sound a lot like the reports about what happens after we die by Tibetan Lama's. Others sound like they were actually conscious and knew what was happening around them.
To me it seems that science can't have it both ways: either the brain was not dead, and that explains why consciousness didn't stop - or the brain was dead and consciousness restarted the brain somehow. If it's the first: then people don't die as quickly as medicine would like us to - in order for them to harvest organs for organ-transplants. If the second: the soul does exist.
NDEs, about what's after death
Journey of Souls: Case Studies of Life Between Lives
Journey of Souls: Case Studies of Life Between Lives
Amazon Price: $9.99 (as of 02/13/2012)
People do have a soul - links
If you agree, add links (proof!) that help me make my case
Add a link that makes my case.
1
Do we have a soul?
Many scientists, especially neurologists, assume a more...2 points
2
From Within Outwards: the Way of the Universe - John Algeo
according to The Secret Doctrine, each of us is a more...2 points
3
Suicide is not death
Suicide, like any other murder is a sin because it more...0 points
4
Transforming the Self
The goal of all mysticism is to cleanse the heart, more...0 points
5
Expanding Our Centre of Consciousness
ALTHOUGH almost every spiritual tradition speaks o more...0 points
Learn more about Consciousness itself
Do we have a soul? Your turn to talk!
Join this religious debate
We DO have a soul
Fetching blurbs now... please stand byYes, of course we do!
illuminatikiller says:
Course we do - if a person is no more than his thoughts,we die every second, as our beliefs,opinions and views are constantly changing. By that logic the person you were lasy year is dead and you should regularly organise your own funeral. The soul is the unshakable part of you, has no relation to what you do or say but is rather what you are.
Posted November 10, 2011
masunyoananda says:
We do...we normally realize our own soul first which is called Self-Realization, then we leap into God-Realization which is the merging of the Soul with Supreme Soul. And when this merging takes place, the Soul disappears in the Supreme Soul. No separation is there. Only the Supreme Soul exists.
Posted April 12, 2011
Sol says:
You may be able to see images created by living cells that impley that we do have a soul. It shows what looks like a symbol of God blowing the breath of life to man and man's hand reaching in to the material comming from the mouth of what may be a symbol of God. On the other side is a symbol of a dying man ( eye closed, mouth open, tongue protruding and the finger of death in his nose) trying to reject death as his hand is on the thumb of death in a positing to push his other finger from his nose.
From the dying man is a symbol of soul (same material that is being blown from the symbol of God) leaving the dying man...that's what I see.
Posted March 11, 2011
Sol Cohen says:
Do we have a soul is very difficult to prove. However, if you were to find a image on you car that had a standing man with two fee, two legs, two hands. a vague body, slhoulders and head area would you take a photo of it?
Well I did and also discovered that it had a penius.
I my research I discovered Carl Jung and his story of the Solar PHallus Man.
The well told story is that as an intern he met a patient who would stand at the window and look out at the sun. When asked why he did that he replied "when I squint my eyes I can look at the sun and see that it has a proturasioh and when it moves it moves the winds on earth".
Jung discovered as was translating Greek mytholgy that this was an ancient myth. Aa the patient was not able to have know this myth he believed that this was proof of the exisence of a Universal Unoonsicous. Plato and many others had assumed the posibility that we all carry in our genes the memories of our ancesors religious beliefs. If one access thier Universal Un consicous then hese symbols manifest themselves about them.
Jung worte: "The Solar Phallus Man carries on his shoudlers the burden of proof of the existence of an Universal Unconscious".
The image that I photographend contained, above his shoulders, images that may indicate that we do have a soul.
/f==
Google "Solar Phalluls Man" and click on Solar Phallus Man history to see the images.
You may see symbols of God blowong the breath of life, man accepting it with his hand extended from his head. On the other side is an image of a man dying as a symbol of Death, white skull with an open mouth and a flame flaring has an extended arm reachint up to the man with his finger in the man's nose, blocking the breath of life. The man's eye is closed and his tongue protudes.
The material blowing from the mouth of the symbol of God, is the same material the seems to be leaving the dying man. Breath and soul are from the same basic meanings.
This image was created I believe in an broken egg that was on my car. At the bottom of the image there is what may be the fetus of a bird.
Posted February 22, 2011
kat292 says:
The evidence of us, humans, having a soul is the life after death.
Posted February 01, 2011
Shriya says:
Yes, we do. Our soul is eternal. when a person dies, it's just the body which dies not the soul because the soul is eternal.
Posted December 26, 2010
TravaCor NeuroScience says:
Duh! There has to be something more than our physical beings. How do we account for the relationships we are able to uphold with others if we didn't have souls?
TravaCor NeuroScience
Posted December 09, 2010
carole says:
I believe we each has a soul.The Chinese do believe when we sleep our soul leaves the body that explains about dreams and nightmares. It could be our consciousness that is immortal or one component in the mind that is pure and belongs to the universal force or consciousness, which explained out of body experience where body is only matter whereas out there, there is a mind devoid of a physical body and is a separate entity without a form,with physical body another separate entity but both inter-dependent as mind dwells in the body that can travel out of the body and also dwells inside the body (dualistic form). My persona explanation, not to be taken as conclusive.
Posted December 07, 2010
costinget says:
We are souled beings, no doubt. But, being and experiencing on Earth we forgot this to imerse fully in matter. The human consciousness made a leap in consciousness, that we now are able to bring our soul in our earthly experiences, through conscious choice. We live incredible times!
Posted December 01, 2010
ravi says:
i want to see a soul how we can
Posted November 23, 2010
AmbrosiaPopsicle says:
The body is just a garment we wear to play around on this earth. We of course unfortunately forgot how to play. Its what people have invented to keep themselves busy that becomes such a distracting monster. Most of us forgot who we are due to the static in our own lives.
Posted November 12, 2010
luckycharms says:
I think every thing out there has a soul or consciousness. We just haven't created the machines to measure it. 200 years ago, there was no way to measure electricity, but yet it did exist.
Posted October 27, 2010
SandyPeaks says:
Something must be recording our experiences - small children often 'remember' events and skills that haven't been acquired in their present incarnation. Why do we suddenly fear or embrace certain concepts when our life or family experiences have never included such things to bias our judgement?
Posted October 19, 2010
Mrmakingusmile says:
Yes we do. My soul is hungry right now for some dry rub ribs. WhooHooo!!
Posted October 03, 2010
mulberry says:
I think we have a soul. I am not a religious person and although I have thought about what we really are since I was a child, I had/have no answers. However, when my father died following an accident about 10 years ago, I feel certain I encountered his spirit. We had been sent to a waiting area as the medical team worked on him. Suddenly I knew he was in the room with us. I did not see, hear, feel, or smell anything. It was purely a "knowing". I have never been more certain of anything in my life. Moments later we were told he had died. I was equally certain a day or two later that he came again to reassure me (and my sister) Again, this was no vision. I am not predisposed to such imaginings or have beliefs that would lend themselves to this occurring. I believe however, that some people are more in tuned to such things than others. Similar perhaps to the fact that some people have better hearing or better eye sight than others. Whether heaven awaits us or not, I don't know. But there is another existence, perhaps not corporeal. We see colors animals cannot. Animals hear things we can not. That doesn't mean these things don't exist; similarly just because you can see or prove something, doesn't mean it cannot exist. It means it hasn't been proven.
Posted September 24, 2010
says:
I absolutely believe that we all have a soul.
Posted September 14, 2010
Pastiche says:
I have a friend who suffered a TBI 20 years ago and has many stories to share about what he experienced during a 13 day coma. His life is focused on be here now and reincarnation of the soul. I don't know what is "real" but I feel the presence of loved ones who are gone at times and also experience deja vu. I must read your recommended books to learn more.
Posted September 12, 2010
AmericanDreamer says:
@Chadrew - There is really no way to make any argument either for or against this that is TOTALLY indesputable. We believe what we believe.
However, I would like to present the possibility that, while all that you say may be true, it really means nothing as to the existance or non-existance of the soul, or even of the soul's capacity for emotion, memory, and thought.
Chemicals in your brain, electrical pulses, all these things are what allow you to feel and think and remember, however one could argue that this only goes to show the limitations of the physical self. The body requires these things because it is, in and of itself, incapable of thought, emotion, and memory. It needs a brain to compensate for these shortcomings.
The soul does not have these shortcomings, and thus requires no brain. The body is limited, the soul is not.
Just my $0.02
Posted August 18, 2010
No way, our sense of 'I' is a neurological side-effect
Steve says:
I don't necessarily reject the possibility of a soul, but I see no evidence for one separate and apart from our corporeal existence. I think that emphasis on the soul as the seat of experience is to denigrate the marvelous capabilities and depths of our corporeal existence.
I think it is no less wonderful that my experiences and feelings might be the result biological processes than if they were the result of having a soul.
Posted November 18, 2011
says:
We can experience life without a soul, it's called a brain!
Posted October 28, 2011
ChristineRenee says:
I wish I could believe that we have souls, but I just don't. I think we are just machines made out of flesh. If you take a person who is really kind and give him a brain injury he could turn into a jerk. Or the other way around. So which is the true soul of the person? Or is the soul separate from personality and actions?
Posted May 28, 2011
Langa95 says:
Point out on my body where my soul is. If by soul you mean that we all have a unique personality then you are correct but that is because of out genetics and our upbringing. Soul is just a stupid religious style word with no proof or evidence and refuses the fact that science is right and has proven all religions wrong,
Posted May 21, 2011
Chadrew says:
I don't think we do. And if we do, it doesn't matter. I've been taught that when we die good people go to Heaven and meet their loved ones there. Now I see several problems with that.
The thought process is biological thing in your brain.
The emotions you feel are caused by chemicals in your brain.
The memories are stored all over your brain.
This is a proven fact because people with brain injuries may become paralyzed, lose some or all of their memories and become otherwise impaired.
That means when we die even if our "soul" stays we don't have any emotions, memories or even a mind for that instance. It's just a bundle of energy or something. That's why I think soul does not exist.
Posted February 11, 2010
gaara says:
Am a christian and i believe we are the soul.
its not some other entity lurking within our bodies.
we are souls!
gen 2:17 .. after god breathed into his body(adam) he became a living soul.
body + life force = soul.
plus when we die.. we cease to exist. thats why its called death.its the end of life.
the soul dies.that is YOU die.
thats my 2 cents
Posted December 17, 2009
Ray says:
I know I don't have a soul. I can't explain it, I just know it.
Posted November 17, 2009
ShushiDenMaster says:
it's about time we understand, why do you argue such an important issue when this question should be treated with the utmost concern and importance...
If there is a doubt, then you lose. We call ourselves all grown up and advanced, your lucky to have a church at all to practice your 'religion' it seems all a waste of time, effort and money to prove anything.
Why is it such a struggle to lay facts that ghost could be real? Is it easier to grow a plant or to burn one?
Even science can pin point life as we know it, and call it a 'soul' as we do...invisible energy and forces that make life as we know it, even a scientist would agree that 'this' is the father of life.
but it's not real is it until it is official...
Ever heard the expression, "we can see right though you?"
This means leave this issue to those that understand and claim no such thing, than you trying to get a cheap evil thrill and ride a wagon...
it get all too sad, when you see a person say to another, only because you have the authority, "lier lier pants on fire.." Thank god at least we can see though you, but your evil...but it's a start...we got a light people!!!!!!
but don't touch it..it only look like what you know you deserve from a responsible human race, kindness from the holy ghost.
I'm tied of this issue...save yourselves.
Posted December 22, 2008
DavidtheBrain says:
The soul is a figment of your imagination (very fitting, no?). Sentience is completely physical. The only energy controlling what you do is the electricity in your brain. I am an atheist, and an advocate for AI, so by default, that is my belief. Science or nothing. Prove it to me with duplicable evidence and experimentation. Nobody ever seems to be able to.
Posted November 17, 2008
Recommended by readers of this lens
Not just a sack of atoms?
What do you think about this religious debate?
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howtocurecancer
Mar 29, 2011 @ 1:16 pm | delete
- I do think we have a soul! Congrats on the Purple Star.
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pkmcr
Jan 28, 2011 @ 12:05 pm | delete
- Congratulations on the Purple Star and added to my Lensography of Purple Stars :-)
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shoppinggirlguru
Dec 13, 2010 @ 7:50 pm | delete
- Nice lens; really interesting answers.
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costinget
Dec 1, 2010 @ 8:21 pm | delete
- We are souled beings. So, we are not this body and this mind. But we have to choose to find more about it. For example, I know why we are here on earth, where I'll go after I'll make the transition through death process. There are many information about life, death and birth that may bring clarity and knowledge. If you are interested ask me.
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SandyPeaks
Oct 19, 2010 @ 3:43 pm | delete
- Great lens, great debate! One day, we may be able to measure it...
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Katinka Hesselink has been fascinated with religion for as long as she can remember. She started studying theosophy and the world religions in earnest when she was 19. She loves reading books about any and all the spiritual traditions, and reviews them online.She even did a stint of university studying World Religion, specializing in Buddhism and Indian religions, but quit a few papers short of her bachelors degree.
She has gathered inspiring quotes and informative articles on Buddhism, Sufism, Mystic Christianity and of course theosophy on her website Katinka Hesselink Net. On her popular spiritual blog All Considering she shares her knowledge, experiences and thoughts on spiritual topics.
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